Thank you very much for this awesome post! It brings back lots of memories... 25 years ago, I was a senior in High School. We were watching the shuttle take off on the tv in our current events class. I remember very vividly everything that was going on. We were thrilled the shuttle was off and everyone cheered, as it left the platform. Then before our eyes - we saw the big smoke cloud and heard the control center announce - Houston, we have a problem. We were shocked, everyone sat still for the next few minutes in disbelief. The principal came on the intercom and announced that everyone was to stand and we were to observe a moment of silence for the loss to all the families. That was the only time I heard the entire school quiet, like no one was there. After five minutes, the principal came back on the intercom and announced we were to remain in our current classes for the rest of the day, at which time they put the news feed over the intercom. Our year book has a dedication to the Challenger crew, and 25 years later, I can still remember how I felt at that moment.
Again, thank you for such an awesome post!

This was originally written in May of last year, just after I watched the space shuttle Atlantis blast off into orbit. On the anniversary of the Challenger disaster, I thought it was worth reprinting: On January 28, 1986, I was home from school with the flu. I remember that, no matter what I di...